This year, senior Maya Liteplo created her own AP Microeconomics class at RMHS, since economics is her passion and the school didn’t have an AP level economics course.
Around this time last year, during course selections, Liteplo talked to Mr. Skehan from the math department about how she wanted to take an AP level economics class before college. Mr. Skehan brought Liteplo and Mr. Skeffington from the math department together since Mr. Skeffington had already been considering starting an Economics course at RMHS. Throughout this school year, the two of them curated a new AP Microeconomics class that will continue to be in the curriculum in the following years.
Liteplo’s journey to making her ideas come to life worked out quickly and seamlessly. “Just that day, I had spoken to my guidance counselor, Mr. Skeffington, and Mr. Skehan and we already had a class ready to go,” Liteplo said.
A regular day in class is similar to an independent study that prepares Liteplo for the AP test she’ll be taking in May. “A lot of it is done at home. I’ll read the textbook, and then I come in and I have a basis of the knowledge, and then he’ll give me an in-class lecture,” she offered. “But sort of as the year has gone on, we’ve started to get more like a class with him teaching me rather than independent study, which has been great.” Her work follows the AP Microeconomics curriculum College Board uses.
Next year, the class will be available to more students, with Mr. Skeffington using notes he takes this year to prepare for how to proceed.
Mr. Skehan offered some insight on how other students could achieve something similar to what Liteplo did. First, a student should evaluate if their request for a new class is a realistic and valuable goal. They should then find a teacher they feel comfortable with and talk to them about their idea, and present their idea to the administration with the help of that teacher. Mr. Skehan also noted that throughout this process, the student should find a teacher they think would be interested in teaching the suggested course.
Liteplo’s story shows that students can forge a new path on course selections.
